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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Use of Arabidopsis eceriferum Mutants to Explore Plant Cuticle Biosynthesis
Published on: May 31, 2008
Arabidopsis camelliol C synthase evolved from enzymes that make pentacycles
Mariya D Kolesnikova1, William K Wilson, David A Lynch
1Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.
Abstract:
We establish by heterologous expression that the Arabidopsis thaliana oxidosqualene cyclase At1g78955 (CAMS1) makes camelliol C (98%), achilleol A (2%), and beta-amyrin (0.2%). CAMS1 is the first characterized cyclase that generates predominantly a monocyclic triterpene alcohol. Phylogenetic analysis shows that CAMS1 evolved from enzymes that make pentacycles, thus revealing that its pentacyclic beta-amyrin byproduct is an evolutionary relic. Sequence alignments support prior suggestions that decreased steric bulk at a key active-site residue promotes monocycle formation.
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